'Old Bess' engine by Boulton and Watt, 1777

This engine stands at a crossroads in history. When it was built in 1777, there wasn't an obvious way to provide power to manufacturing and some people were doubtful about steam power. Find out more about the engine and its impact.

This tracing from a sketch of Old Bess, made before the engine's dismantling at the Soho Manufactory in 1848, provides valuable information about its later layout.